DAILY NATION Monday April 21, 2014 DEVOLUTION LIGHTING | Leaders expected to lock horns for control of the rural electrification fund Battle looms over power billions TA awaits deal between counties and rural energy provider before functions’ transfer BY LUCAS BARASA @ekatoroto lbarassa@ke.nationmedia.com control of billions of shilling meant for lighting up Kenya’s countryside. The Transitional Authority T (TA) is waiting for an agreement between counties and the Rural Electrification Authority (REA) before shifting the function to them. A report by the Commit- tee on Devolved Government on Transfer of Functions to counties passed in the Senate endorses transfer of the Rural Electrification Authority function to the counties. Sets stage for fight TA indicated in an August 9, 2013 gazette notice that REA projects “shall be transferred within the transition period as per the Rural Electrification Authority schedules.” Senate’s move to give Rural Electrification Authority functions to counties sets the stage for a fight with MPs over control of billions of shillings meant for lighting up the rural areas. Governors had asked the Senate to give them REA functions. It now means that counties he stage is set for a bruising battle pitting governors and MPs for could influence how the billions allocated to rural power outfit are used in what could spark a fight with MPs who, next year, are expected to control Sh3.65 billion for supply of power to remote zones. The Senate wants both the governors and the national government to share the responsibilities of connecting rural Kenya to the national grid in the short-term pending the full transfer to the devolved units. The Transitional Authority said all the agriculture functions, except the Agricultural Mechanization Stations (AMS) and Grain Storage Facilities (GSF), had been 3.65 ‘‘ BY NATION REPORTER Governors skipped meetings called by the Senate to evaluate functions to be transferred to counties, a report prepared by senators show. The senators were forced to hold meetings with junior county officials after governors opted out in favour of other assignments. Only a third of the 47 governors showed up although they are the ones who had asked for the meetings to decide on the most vital functions to be devolved. In a report tabled in the Senate on the transfer of functions to counties, the lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction with the way the county bosses treated the meetings held transferred. The August 9, 2013 ga- zette notice that shifted the agriculture function, withheld transfer of AMS and GSF for six months due to absence of the facilities in all counties, making it necessary to share them. TA said it was undertaking a proper audit and valuation of the facilities and machineries to establish their status and condition. The authority said it has transferred all county roads to the devolved units, save for the ones managed by Kenya Urban Roads Authority, Kenya Rural Roads Authority, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forestry Service. Natural resources “TA has no objection to Amount in billions meant to fund supply of power to remote areas REA projects shall be transferred within the transition period” Transitional Authority transferring the management of these roads, and is in the process of developing modalities for the transfer of the functions. TA undertakes to ensure the county roads managed by Kura and Kerra are transferred as soon as possible and in any case well before the expiry of the statutory transition period,” the report said. The authority urged the Senate to spearhead appropriate amendments to legislation in the roads sector to facilitate the transfer. It said it has fully trans- ferred the function of implementation of national government policies on natural resources and environment conservation excluding forests managed by the Kenya Forest Service, the National Water Towers and private forests to the counties. National News 9 Counties lack trained staff, says Budget chief BY NATION REPORTER Lack of trained finance officers is hampering budget preparation in counties. Most of the devolved govern- ments have employed Finance staff, who do not know how to prepare budgets, leading to dismissal of their proposals by the Controller of Budget. In a report tabled in the Sen- ate, the Controller of Budget says some of the devolved governments were yet to employ enough finance officers. “The majority of counties have inadequate human capacity to prepare and implement the budget,” says the Budget chief. This has resulted in preparation of budgets with deficit and non-implementation of development projects in the first quarter, the report said. The counties where chief officers were yet to be appointed have been most affected in budget implementation, according to the report. All the counties have to furnish the Budget office with acceptable proposals on how to spend the billions of shillings allocated to them. Containing errors Without the office’s approval, no money can be released by the National Treasury to a county government. The devolved units have been FILE | NATION Transition Authority chairman Kinuthia Wamwangi. The authority is mandated by the Constitution to oversee transfer of specified functions from the national to county governments. Governors shun meetings called by senators countrywide. “It is a pity that only 17 or so gov- ernors personally attended to this very important matter leaving out about 30 who never came. In western, apart from Mr Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) who came personally, others sent their deputies,” said Busia Senator Amos Wako(left). Chairman of the Senate Committee on Devolved Government Kipchumba Murkomen, also Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator, said the legislators were unhappy because governors were pushing them to transfer certain functions in funerals and village barazas yet they refused to attend formal meetings to address the same. “Governors wanted some functions to be devolved and the Senate asked them to present their issues and to put them in black and white yet they felt that they were too superior to appear before the Senate. The issue of seniority should be trashed,” said Kajiado Senator Peter Mositet. Governors had appealed to the Senate to transfer some functions including rural electrification, roads maintenance and storage of agriculture produce to counties. The senators and governors have been locked in supremacy battles since last year. preparing proposals containing errors and which surpass their budgets. According to the Budget office, preparation of procurement plans, especially for development projects has been delayed. Further expenditure returns with errors and other inconsistencies were forwarded for approval. Over-targeting of revenue collec- tion was also among the challenges, the report said. Senators adopted the report, which was tabled by the chairman of the Committee on Devolved Government, Mr Kipchumba Murkomen, last Thursday. Garissa, Kajiado and Isiolo coun- ties failed to meet their revenue targets due to inadequate collection personnel, the Controller noted. “The human capacity and neces- sary systems are not yet in place to facilitate collection of revenue,” the report said. That has revenue collection lower than targets, adversely affecting budget implementation, according to the report. Now in Nairobi untill 23rd May 2014. He has visited 92 countries and people have benefited from his predictions. This is passed over from generation to generation. He has visited Kenya for the past nine years. His beneficiaries include industrialists, Hollywood / Bollywood actors and political figures Predicts problems of men and women by looking at their face and photo, without horoscope. He has positive results regarding any problems. Open to all faiths. All your matters will be kept strictly confidential. Visit at least once, don’t miss out on this golden opportunity.